Teach the Teacher
by KatalystSky
Summary: This is a Qrowin/Snowbird Teacher AU. Qrow is an uncouth but surprisingly good high school science teacher and Winter is a strict graduate student pursuing a teaching certificate. The principal believes that pairing them up will be mutually beneficial but they need to stop fighting first.
1. Chapter 1

Qrow Branwen was not the strictest teacher in the world, or even the best teacher in the world, but he was by far the most fun. He was understanding with each of his students but wasn't afraid to push them to achieve things that they didn't know they could do. He was sarcastic and cynical but would give praise where praise was due and express his utter disappointment if a student failed to meet his simple expectations. He was the disappointed father that every student wanted to please and so his class was very popular.

He taught the sciences. Physics, biology and chemistry, he loved them all and he loved sharing them with his students. His favorite start of year show was lining up the students' water bottles and his own. He would drop a ice cube into each student bottle and show how it floats, then he would drop one into his bottle and it would sink to the bottom. He would let the students guess why and the one who guessed "Because it is full of alcohol" got to drop a match in.

His methods were not the most popular with all of the staff, but the grades his students were achieving were nothing to sniff at, so he was mostly left alone unless he almost set something on fire. So here he was, in the superintendent's office after doing exactly that for the fifth time so far this school year. Dr. Ozpin sat in front of him, silently drinking his coffee, watching the door. Qrow was holding his breath, not knowing what would happen. He internally groaned as soon as the door opened to reveal principal Ironwood and assistant superintendent Goodwitch.

"Mr. Branwen, how good to see you in one piece." Glynda nodded and sat beside Ozpin.

"You even kept your eyebrows this time." Ironwood grinned and sat on Ozpin's other side.

"Well, they are a big part of my devilishly good looks, so I figured I would take better care." Qrow said, pointing to the safety glasses on his head with a smirk.

"Well I am certainly glad that you are setting a good example of safety for your students. You are fairly popular as a teacher and you have quite a large volume of students. 31 students per class, if I am correct?" Ozpin smiled kindly.

"You are, sir. But I'm keeping up just fine." Qrow frowned slightly.

"Of course you are, your students' grades are wonderful and their test scores and doing very well for the school's popularity." Ironwood responded begrudgingly. "However, that doesn't mean that you couldn't use any help. You see, we partner with a number of colleges around the area and this year we have the perfect Student Teacher for you. She is excelling in her studies of science and technology and is now working on her teaching certifications. I think she would be an excellent addition to your classroom."

"Absolutely not. I don't need or want a student teacher. I work just fine on my own." Qrow slammed his fist on the table. Ozpin looked at him with sincerity and authority.

"You are not in a position to refuse, Qrow. You are one of our best teachers but you have a tendency to cause accidents. I think that you having a student teacher would be mutually beneficial..." Ozpin started.

"And it is the only way we can justify not firing you for all of the accidents you've caused." Glynda finished with a stern look, crossing her arms.

"She starts Monday, be prepared to welcome Ms. Schnee and help her learn what it really means to be a teacher and be prepared to learn how to rein yourself in." Ironwood stood and held out a hand to shake.

Qrow frowned at it and thanked Ozpin for yet another second chance. He was dismissed and he shuffled to his room, sulking. He decided to swing by the English department on his way upstairs. Taiyang was sitting at his desk, grading papers. Qrow unlocked the door and heard groans of "That is not how you spell that word," mutterings of "a paragraph is five sentences, not five words" and defeated sighs of "did you even read the book?"

"Rough day?" Qrow asked, leaning on the doorway.

"Oh you know, we finished Shakespeare today with the freshmen and they took their final exams. So I have half a dozen outstanding scores of the students who actually participated in class readings and acting and two dozen tests ranging from mediocre to terrible. At least they did better than they did with Steinbeck." Tai removed him glasses and put his head in his hands.

"Shakespeare is great. Way better than the civil rights set at the end of the year. They always made me cringe." Qrow shrugged.

"I know, but that's the point! They aren't supposed to make you feel comfortable, they are supposed to make you want to stand up for the rights of others and take action." Tai argued.

"Tai, these are high schoolers. They are growing up in a world full of terror and inequality masked in propaganda and have little to no hope for the future. It couldn't hurt to let them read something that makes them happy for once." Qrow knew that he was just goading Tai into a meaningless argument to waste time, but it was his favorite thing to do.

"I would love to do that, but principal stick in the butt won't allow any changes I propose to the curriculum. On the upside I'm going to have help for this section. I'm getting a student teacher this semester. She's a faunus and she is so well versed in classic and modern literature. She's going for her librarian's degree, but ."

"You go that much information? All I got was a last name and an implied gender." Qrow frowned.

"Well, I got to have a meet and greet with her. I got to pick her as my ST out of a group. You didn't show up to that meeting, did you?"

"Did it say the meeting was mandatory?" Qrow asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, it was highly recommended…" Tai frowned

"I don't go unless it's mandatory." Qrow shrugged.

"Well, it's your loss. Blake is going to be a wonderful asset to my classroom, especially during our civil rights literature discussions. We have a very good bond so far and I think that this will be a smooth transition. Good luck with your, who was it again?" Tai asked with a chuckle.

"Ms. Schnee is all I got."

"Well have fun with your Ms- Oh my goodness. Are you sure that's the name?" Tai's previous lighthearted grin replaced with disbelief.

"Yes, that was the only name given."

"Good fucking luck bud. That's all I can say to that." Tai smiled, waiting for the semester of schadenfreude that he would get to witness.

Qrow frowned and went to his classroom. What was he going to do with a Student Teacher? He was beginning to regret not going to that meeting. He made up a list of busy work that he could have her do like checking the hood vent before class, grading tests, cleaning up after fires. He would just add to the list as they go on. He gathered up his Irish coffee thermos and laptop bag then headed home, not looking forward for the weekend to end.


	2. Chapter 2

Winter Schnee exited principal Ironwood's office with a grin. The meeting had gone extremely well and she was looking forward to her first experience teaching students. She had been to highschool herself, albeit half a decade ago, but she was looking forward to it. Her outfit was spotless and her hair was held atop her head in a tight bun, a habit that she never dropped after graduating from the Atlas Military Academy. She wandered through the halls to get a feel for the school and began to feel… out of place.

The walls of Atlas Academy were stark white and the floors were a dull grey. Maintenance was performed on a daily basis and the school was kept spotless. Student's were kept in neat rows and lines, all looking professional in their uniforms. As she made her was to room 207, she noted the murals on the walls. Each wing had a splendid mural painted which represented the subject taught in that hall. She followed the atomic symbols and bunsen burners to room 207, where she found a large crowd of students loitering outside of the door.

"What are you all doing loitering out here, don't you have a class to be at in three minutes?" Winter frowned. A blonde haired girl with shorts and a crop top that definitely didn't fit the school dress code snorted.

"Yeah me do, it's this one. It's monday so Uncle Qrow won't be here for another 5 minutes at least." The girl chuckled and the other students agreed.

"What did you just call your teacher?" Winter gasped in surprise.

"She called me Uncle Qrow, because that's my name. She's my niece. You gotta problem with that Ice Queen?" Qrow appeared behind her with a scowl.

His eyes were bloodshot and his slicked back hair was falling loose. His tie was sloppy and he had misbuttoned his untucked dress shirt. His reading glasses sat perched on his nose but they did nothing to aid his bleary vision. He was squinting at the light in the hallway and fumbled with the keys and managed to unlock the door on the fourth try. The blonde girl laughed and punched her uncle on the shoulder.

"You're early!" She exclaimed.

"And hungover, can you keep the noise down, Firecracker?" Qrow winced.

Winter stared at him is shock as the students filed into his classroom. He looked back at her with a scowl as the last student entered the class. He gave her a once over. She was pretty, but the haughty way she held herself made him shiver. She wore high heeled boots, a simple white blouse and form fitting blue pants. Her hair was flawlessly done, as was her minimal makeup. She'd be just his type is he couldn't feel her judging him with every breath. Well two can play at that game.

"Well, don't you have a class to get to kid?" Qrow quipped. Winter crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I do. This one." She echoed the blonde girl's earlier statements.

"I wasn't expecting any new students. The class is full." He took a notebook out of his breast pocket and wrote something. "Here, take this down to guidance and have them change your course." He grinned and turned away from her.

"I am your new Student Teacher, Mr. Branwen." Winter stated in a stern tone.

He turned around with a smirk and stared at her, hoping she would get the idea and leave. She held her head high and stared down her nose at him. Her posture was impossibly straight and her glare unyielding and icy cold. She held out a hand to him.

"Winter Schnee, fifth year grad student with a focus on the sciences and a minor in child development."

"Qrow Branwen, actual teacher." He shook her hand with a strong death grip. She matched his death grip until he released the handshake with a grimace.

Qrow walked into the classroom and the chatter in the room died down. Winter entered and shut the door behind her. She turned on the lights and Qrow hissed and throw a rock at the light switch, successfully killing the lights.

"Alright class. I am hungover so you are going to watch a science movie and finish the homework that I assigned on Friday. Bonus points to anyone who rustles up a hangover cure that actually works. Ice Queen, can you close the blinds please." Qrow turned to Winter.

Not one to disobey orders, she closed the blinds. Obviously she had to open them wide at hit Qrow with a full blast of morning sunlight before closing them properly, but she was new and didn't know how they worked. That would be her excuse if asked. Qrow threw his hands up and was positively glaring at his new mortal enemy. She feigned innocence and sat in the back of the class, her legs elegantly crossed and her notebook in hand.

The next few weeks went about the same. Winter would do as she was asked and would take meticulous notes of what she was doing and how Qrow taught his class. Mondays he was usually hungover and played an educational video while letting them catch up on their homework from the weekend. Tuesdays were valid scientific lectures that often turned into lectures on what real life is like. Wednesdays were project days where students began experiments based on the previous day's lectures. Thursdays he mostly wandered around helping students complete their experiments and project write ups. They played either a video or a game on Fridays and then he let them catch up on anything they were behind on. He also checked the whole week's homework on Fridays at the end of class.

The workload was not heavy if student's paid attention. He would give them sheets of notes and they just had to fill in the blanks as he lectured. The students who didn't pay attention in the lecture typically began understanding once they began experiments and so he catered to book learners and hands on learners. Other than his uncouth manners and horrendously laid back personality, Winter was begrudgingly impressed.

"Ok class, today we are going to work on alleles and punnett squares. I want you to choose two people and make a punnett square figuring out what their kid would statistically look like. They can be teachers, other students, fictional characters or famous people, but I want to see your reasoning for your findings. Let me or Ice Queen know if you need help. Oh, and keep it legal." Qrow grinned.

Winter frowned. She loathed that her encouraged students to use the nickname that he had given her. Even if it wasn't a rude nickname, it was such a flagrant act of disrespect. She walked around the room answering simple questions and silencing groups that were getting too chatty. She threatened to send one student to the principal's office after they responded to her request for silences with: "Oh, don't make the Ice Queen mad or she'll freeze your heart and your grades."

"Hey, Ice Queen?" Yang asked, raising her hand and waving it wildly.

"You may call me Miss Schnee and you don't need to shout if you're raising your hand. That defeats the purpose, Miss Xiao Long." Winter approached Yang's table.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Are both of your parents platinum blondes or are you a bottle blonde?" Yang asked, waving her hand dismissively.

"Both of my parents have blonde hair. I have never dyed my hair in my life. Why?"

"Did they both have blue eyes?" Yang asked.

"Well, that is typically how recessive genes work." Winter deadpanned. Yang gave only a blank stare. "Yes, they both have blue eyes."

"Okay, that's all. Thanks Miss Ice Queen." Yang smiled and started working. Qrow looked at his niece and she winked.

"You go any further with that square and I'm failing you outright Xiao Long." Qrow shouted from his desk.

"But you an Ice Queen would have cute babies. There's an 90% chance that they'd have purple eyes like mine." Yang baited her uncle.

Qrow snatched the paper and gave her a clean sheet to start from scratch. Yang responded with a middle finger. Winter responded by writing her up and sending her to the principal's office. Yang argued the referral and Winter wrote her another for dress code violation. Yang left with a groan and flipped both teachers off on her way out. Qrow turned to Winter.

"Outside, now." He frowned. Winter remained composed but she could feel her blood boiling. Qrow shut the door behind them.

"What the hell was that all about?" Qrow hissed.

"Your student gave you a rude gesture, I did exactly what it says to do in the staff handbook."

"FUCK the staff handbook. Gimme that." He pulled the handbook out of her arms and threw it down the hall.

"What was that for?" Winter shouted.

"She's my niece, we do that all the time! You can't get her in trouble every time she does that."

"That is nepotism, Mr. Branwen, I refuse to play favorites." Winter frowned.

Qrow circled her and stopped, squatting down to examine her behind. Winter spun around and smacked him across the face. He touched his cheek and frowned up at her.

"What in Remnant are you doing?" She seethed.

"I'm just searching for the stick, but it is too far up there for me to get." Qrow stood up and crossed his arms.

"You are childish." Winter huffed.

"Yeah, you know why? It's because I teach _children_ and I am _damn good at it_ too_._ That's what your issue is, you're too uptight. You shouldn't even be here. You should be up in your fancy little laboratory with your perfect little samples and double blind studies. You don't have what it takes to be a teacher and at this rate you never will. Get out!" Qrow shouted, pointing to the stairs.

Winter's whole body turned red with fury, but her posture remained stiff and unyielding. She looked Qrow in the eyes and gave him the most withering icy glare he had ever seen. She turned on her heels and marched away from him and as she reached the stairs she turned on her heels again to face him and flipped him both birds before descending the steps with the elegance of a swan on a cloud.

That was exactly the reaction he had wanted. Qrow grinned and opened the door to his room. There was a scuffle as half of his students ran away from the door and launched themselves into their seats. He surveyed the silent class with a stern frown.

"Get to work." He shouted and flopped onto his seat.


	3. Chapter 3

Winter returned the next day as if nothing had happened. The only difference was that she had a bandage around her left wrist. She had strained it while abusing a punching bag with Qrow's staff picture taped to it. The real Qrow Branwen avoided her until he dropped a stack of projects in front of her for her to grade. He too the students outside to play a game of "Survival of the Fittest." Winter took the opportunity to sit by the window and look outside every so often.

She graded papers and was happy to see how well the students understood the lesson, even if their grasp on English language arts was lacking. She was strict with her grading in the hopes that students would better understand the importance of clear documentation. Time passed and as she sat at a desk grading their most recent experiment, Qrow approached her with a frown, looking at her desk.

"Stop failing my students just because you're mad at me." He spoke with absolute conviction.

"I beg your pardon?" Winter asked, surprised.

"Then beg, and stop failing my students." He held up an experiment write up from her completed stack. The student had understood the concept easily enough, but the write up was unintelligible and had earned them a 50%.

"The grades I give are fair and unbiased I assure you. This student was unable to clearly express their thoughts and document their steps which is a crucial step in any scient-"

"I don't care! I am a science teacher, not an English teacher. You are _my_ student teacher, not _Tai_'s. These kids are graded harshly in everything they do. They are judged and critiqued from Kindergarten up through adulthood. All I want from them is to prove that they understand what I want them to understand and that I got through to them at least a little. This class is a place where they won't be harshly critiqued just because they can't string a sentence together." Qrow was positively fuming.

"But writing is an important life skill in any subject, especially scientific fields where teams often work together and need streamline documentation." Winter argued.

"Newsflash, Ice Queen, many one student out of any given class will actually go into a science as a career but _all_ of them need to take my class. I am not teaching the next generation of scientists, I am teaching the next generation of doctors, technicians, mechanics, soldiers, teachers and caretakers. My classes are designed to be easy for anyone to understand. These kids aren't minds to be molded, they are unique individuals."

"But there are standards to meet." Winter huffed.

"Standards be damned!" Qrow shouted. "Standards do nothing for students, or teachers for that matter. Standards put you in a box. Kids, especially teenagers, are boxed in enough. They do not need to learn the standard way. You know nothing about children!" Qrow shouted angrily.

"You're right!" Winter shouted back with equal wrath. Qrow was about to unleash another snide comment but blinked.

"I- What?"

"I said you're right. Don't get used to it, but you are right. I do not understand anything about children. I am ten years older than my next oldest sibling and by the time she was born I was already living in a military boarding school. All my life I have faced strict regimes for eating, posture, behavior, how to think and what to do when I grow up. The only way I could join the sciences was to tell my father that I would be a science teacher, but even that was pushing the boundaries of the "women's work" I would be allowed to do. I never had a childhood and I never knew anyone who did. That is why I am here, Qrow. I am here to _learn_ about children but you are just so rude and so harsh with me. You're as bad as every other teacher who molded me into who I am today. You are so determined to make teaching easy and fun to follow but guess what, you haven't taught me anything except that I have no hope for the future. Well guess what, Mr. Branwen, if I am such a failure then you are too. You have failed to teach me how to teach." Winter knocked the remaining projects to the ground and stormed out of the classroom.

"Wait, Winter!" Qrow tried to catch her but she was fast and he didn't see where she went.


	4. Chapter 4

Qrow sat in Tai's classroom eating his lunch. He took a heavy swig of his extra strong coffee. Tai was guilt tripping him up one side and down the other for how he had treated Winter. Qrow wanted to make things better. She was right, he had failed at teacher her. He had been unyielding and rude from the beginning. He needs to stop making first impressions when hungover. She really wasn't all that bad, she worked hard and as harsh as she was it was with the students' best interests in mind. She played by the rules, but that in itself is not a crime. He treated her terribly.

There was a knock on the door and Winter walked in. Tai looked up and Qrow tried to speak to her. She blanked him out and spoke solely to Tai, as if Qrow wasn't in the room.

"Mr. Xiao Long, I wanted to stop by and pick up the homework that Weiss has missed today."

"Oh, of course. How is she doing? Is she feeling any better?"

"She is well. It was just mono. The doctors have her on some antibiotics and she should be back in next week."

"Oh man, that's rough. Ruby just got over mono a week or two ago…"

The pair shuffled awkwardly and Tai handed Winter the books and papers she needed without further discussion. Qrow cleared his throat, trying to break the tension. Winter looked at him with a scowl and turned on her heel and walked away. Qrow stood up and chased after her, grabbing her hand as she crossed into the hall.

"Release me if you wish to keep your arm, Branwen." Winter seethed, not looking at him.

"No. I-"

He was on his back in front of her before he could finish, his words dying on his tongue as the air flew out of his chest. Winter stepped over him as if he was a pile of dung in her path. Qrow jumped up as soon as the air returned to his lungs.

"You flipped me!" He shouted after her indignantly.

"You grabbed me, I reacted. It is a reflex, nothing personal." Winter kept walking. Qrow ran and slid in front of her.

"Listen, you were right." Qrow huffed.

"I usually am, but do continue that train of thought." Winter stopped, but still wouldn't look at him.

"I failed at teaching you. I treated you different because you are an adult and I didn't like you because I was hungover and you are an Ice Queen. Let me make it right." Qrow caught his breath.

"And why would you want to do that?" Winter asked with doubt.

"Because I devoted myself to teaching and I have yet to fail a student, at least on a personal level. I was looking at this wrong and I want to fix it." Qrow put a hand on her shoulder.

"How? You said it yourself, I know nothing about children and I am going to fail as a teacher because of it." Winter frowned, dropping her facade and letting him see just how deep that comment had cut her.

"I'm going to teach you how to have fun." Qrow smiled.

"No." Winter said sternly.

"Winter, you're a college student. You're allowed to have one weekend of fun. Let me show you how to let loose. One weekend, that's all I ask." Qrow looked at Winter expectantly.

"Since it is technically to aid my education…" Winter started shyly.

"And I _am_ your mentor, and you have to do what I say. Meet me outside of the school at 5pm. Get dressed up for a night out on the town." Qrow scribbled an address on his notepad and handed it to her.

"Fine." Winter sighed and tucked the note into her pocket. What was she getting herself into?


	5. Chapter 5

Qrow stood in the park that he had asked Winter to meet him in, counting down the minutes until 5pm. He was excited to have company on his night on the town and he was lying if he said he wasn't also excited to see what the Ice Queen was like outside of a work setting. He wasn't sure how opened up he would get her but he would take whatever he could get.

She arrived at exactly 5:00pm. She was wearing tall, black, high heeled boots that cut off at her calf and a black skirt that fell the acceptable three fingers below her knee. She wore a ¾ length sleeved light blue work blouse, a black blazer with a light blue ribbon around the waist and a black tie. He had his work cut out for him.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Qrow asked in exasperation.

"Does it not look nice?" Winter asked with a frown. It looked really nice, but that's not the point.

"Is that what you party in?" Qrow asked accusingly.

"This is what I wear to most casual parties, I didn't realise it would be a formal event but I can return home and change into an evening gown if you prefer. You may want to change too if that's the case." Winter gestured to his outfit. It was a simple pairing of motorcycle boots, black jeans and a grey button down with the top few buttons undone and a leather jacket.

"No it's not that. I can't take you to a dive bar with you dressed like that!" Qrow pointed at her.

"Then what do you propose I do? The only other casual wear I have other than this is yoga pants and athletic wear." Winter crossed her arms. Qrow approached her with a studying glance.

"Permission to modify?" He asked, waiting for a response before touching her.

She was surprised that he would ask permission but nodded her agreement. She immediately regretted it when he removed her blazer and undid her bun. She allowed him to loosen her tie but he was pushed back after he unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt.

"Personal boundaries exist, Mr. Branwen. Permission revoked." Winter said, removing her tie and placing it in the car with her blazer and the remnants of her pride.

"Understood Ice Queen. I don't suppose you'd hitch your skirt up an inch or two then?" Qrow asked innocently.

"Why would I do that?" Winter asked with a raised eyebrow.

"So that you can straddle the seat better." Qrow grinned and tossed her a motorcycle helmet. Winter gaped at him.

"Absolutely not, we can take my car or we can drive separately." Winter backed away, holding the helmet as far away as possible.

Qrow placed his helmet on and flipped the visor down, looking towards her expectantly. Winter wondered if that was why his hair was always messy first thing in the morning. She braided her hair loosely and put the helmet on but left the visor flipped up. She wondered why he had such a small and cute helmet. It was dark grey with silver stars all over it and a dark red rose symbol. He took her by the hand and walked her over to where he was parked.

Of course, of all of the makes and models in the world, he owned a _Rebel._ The body was a dark metallic silver with a dark red logo on the side. His helmet matched the body but with a different symbol in red that was reflected on either side of his head. In fact, her helmet matched the body too, barring the silver stars. She was surprised to see that he was so particular.

She had always been interested in motorcycles. They were like the forbidden fruit of Eden. She had always wanted to ride, to wear that sexy helmet and the leathers. Her father would have never allowed it though and she had to fight hard to even be allowed to ride a pedal bike. Well, if she had to choose any motorcycle to be her first ride, it was this one. A Rebel just seemed so fitting. Qrow flipped down the passenger pegs and mounted, holding a hand out to help Winter. She lifted her leg to climb on and sighed. She flipped her visor down so he wouldn't see her blush and she was grateful that his smirk was hidden under his own cisor. She hitched up her skirt as high as she dared and climbed on.

He gave her a moment to adjust to a comfortable position. He had to pull her arms around his waist, but she still kept her distance. He started it up and moved around a bit to make sure that this would work. He sighed, turned off the cycle then flipped up his visor. She followed suit.

"Ice Queen, I know it's weird but you need to get closer. You can't stay upright and you don't lead turns, but you can throw me off balance if you make any wrong moves. If you stick close to me and move along with me then we will be fine. You just need to trust me. That's step number one of teaching, you need to let your students know that they can trust you even if it feels a little weird. Though, I don't recommend taking any of our students on a motorcycle. Jimmy would kill me." Qrow finished with a grin. "And you also need to learn to trust your students to implement what you teach them."

He flipped down his visor and started his beautiful _Harbinger_ again. He began moving without another word and Winter wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. She felt odd pushing her body against his, but the ride was much smoother now. She turned her head and watched the lights of the town turn on as the sun began to set. He picked up speed once he could feel her panic fading and he tried not to think of her bare thighs pressed against him. This was yet another reason he was not a college professor.

"Hey, Ice Queen, how old are you?" He asked, suddenly realising that she might not be legal to drink yet. Tai's student teacher was only 19 after all. That would make this position really awkward.

"26, soon to be 27. I already have a Science degree, remember?" Winter grinned and turned her head to the other side as the shoreline came into view. "Why?"

"I'm a teacher and I am not supposed to encourage underaged drinking." Qrow chuckled.

"Ah I see, just 'keeping it legal' I suppose?" Winter teased, curving her body with his as they made a slight left towards the bridge that linked Patch to the mainland.

"You're getting the hang of this." Qrow said, impressed.

"It's not much to get a hang of, you're doing all of the work. I just have to move with you." Winter blushed.

"I'm proud of you." Qrow said sincerely. Winter blushed and held onto him tighter, determined to keep up the good work.

Qrow grinned. So that's how she learns, she craves approval. He probably could've guessed that but it was good to know. Winter was too busy watching the waves pass below the bridge under them to notice the smugness radiating from him. She even spotted some boats on the horizon and she watched in awe as the sun dipped below the water's surface. He sped up again to pass a truck and Winter could have sworn that the blood in her froze. She tensed up.

"Trust me, Winter. That's the only way to get through this." Qrow reminded her.

She squeezed her eyes shut and loosened up as much as she could, but she still held him in a death grip, squeezing him tightly between her arms and thighs. That was good enough for him, he sped up a little more and pulled in front of the truck at a safe distance. Winter slowly opened her eyes again and cheered.

"Woooo!" She shouted and raised her hand. The bike wobbled and she put her arms back around Qrow's waist. "My apologies, that was an unnecessary and dangerous outburst."

"Nope, don't apologize. That is exactly the behaviour that I'm looking for, you are exceeding my expectations and excelling in the lesson so far." Qrow leaned slightly to the right as they turned down a one way street that led into the city.

"Why did you make me drive all the way out to Patch just to drive me back into the city?" Winter asked, a teasing tone in her voice.

"Would you have preferred to miss out on this ride?" Qrow shot back. Winter shook her head and Qrow laughed at her.

They made another right and pulled into a parking lots. Qrow kicked down the kick stand and turn the bike off. He got off first then helped Winter down so she wouldn't accidentally burn herself on the exhaust. He pulled off his helmet and shook his head to tame the helmet hair. Winter smiled at the mess and he ran his fingers through his hair to straighten it out. She removed her own helmet and smoothed her hair down immediately.

"Your braid is messed up." Qrow teased, laying his helmet on the seat and walking towards the rundown building that they had parked in front of.

Winter removed her braid and raced after him. They stood before the door of the "Crowbar" and Qrow smirked, holding the door opened.

"After you." He grinned.


	6. Chapter 6

Winter entered and was immediately hit with different sensations. Cigarette smoke was heavy in the air, the noise of pool balls smacking together paired with the cheers and shouts of several gruff men, and there was a delightful smell wafting towards her from somewhere. The room was dark but once her eyes adjusted she was surprised to see a rather neat bar area compared to the rest of the room. Qrow placed a hand on her waist and guided her towards the bar.

"Can I please see your identification miss?" The bartender asked politely.

"Of course." She grinned demurely and reached into her pocket, only to realise that her skirt was still hiked up. She handed the ID card over to the bartender and then glared at Qrow.

"Why didn't you tell me my skirt was still pulled up?" She hissed.

"I thought you were just trying to score some free drinks, and here I thought you were learning." Qrow teased.

Winter blushed furiously and pulled her skirt down, but left it hanging above her knees to show that she was in fact learning. Qrow smirked and ordered two drinks. The bartender returned with two drinks. One was an Old Fashioned and one was a Strawberry Sunrise. Winter looked at Qrow with a raised eyebrow.

"Take your pick, Ice Queen." Qrow held both out to her.

She took the Old Fashioned just to spite him and sipped at it. The bourbon was strong and delicious. She felt regal drinking it, but that wasn't the purpose of this evening. She gazed at the Strawberry Sunrise sadly, realising that she had failed.

"You didn't fail. They're both for you." Qrow pushed the Strawberry Sunrise towards her and the bartender brought him lager. "I figured I would take it easy tonight since I'm driving." He grinned.

"You are not driving drunk, especially not on a motorcycle." Winter said sternly.

"Of course not, that is a terrible and dangerous idea. How dare you assume I would do such a thing." Qrow looked offended. "I will be legally sober by the time we drive." He assured her.

She was not assured, but she finished her Old Fashioned. She moved on to the Strawberry Sunrise and grinned. It was fruity and sweet. She could hardly taste the alcohol but she knew from the sting on the back of her throat that it was there. Qrow ordered a plate of nachos and Winter almost melted at how good they smelled. She easily ate half of the plate and Qrow laughed.

"How are you feeling, Ice Queen?" He asked. She was slightly flushed but still sat with excellent posture.

"I am feeling very good, and yourself?" She asked.

"I'm feeling like you need some shots before we move on."

Qrow gestured to the barman who looked between the pair of them and sighed. He returned with a line of six shots. Qrow took one and motioned for Winter to take one in her hand. He showed her how to toss it back and chase it with lemon. Winter did as he did, then repeated the motion. They both did a second shot together but Qrow left the final two for her to do alone. She was considerably more flushed now and she was leaning on the table. Hair hair was loose and messy on her shoulders. She was quite a sight.

She started laughing, full on laughing. Not just laughing at him or chuckling, her head was thrown back and she was laughing with her soul. His heart warmed up at the sight and he felt a small blush creeping to his face. She was beautiful when she didn't look like she wanted to murder him.

"What is so funny, Ice Queen?" Qrow asked.

"I don't know!" Winter continued laughing. "We should play pool"

She jumped up and pulled him off of his stool and ran over to the pool table. Qrow grabbed his drink and followed after her. All of the tables were full, but that wouldn't stop her. She was Winter Schnee and she wanted to play pool damn it. She approached a table that had just two men at it, casually letting her skirt ride up slightly so it was at her mid thigh. Qrow watched as she laid the charm on these two young men. She said something and they nodded. She thanked them sweetly then turned and stood on her toes and waved hard to get his attention..

"Qrow, these two nice men have agreed to let us play. We just have to beat them in a match first!" Winter cheered.

Qrow groaned. Of course, she would pick the two roughest thugs in the room to bet against just because they were young and handsome. The two redheaded men grinned and tucked a twenty note in each pocket and Winter followed suit. Qrow picked out a stick and Winter took time to choose her own, picking the smallest one since it was "small like her." The two men grinned at each other and offered to let Qrow break.

The match was pretty stale for a while. The first three rounds lead to only one ball being sunk. It was Qrow's, so they were stuck playing stripes. The redheaded faunus man ordered a drink for Winter and she gleefully accepted. The ginger man with the cigarette ordered her another when she finished that one. Qrow could tell that they were hoping that she would get sloppy and he drank the last drink while she wasn't looking. It was strong.

Winter's turn came up and she giggled as she hopped up onto the edge of the table to get a better angle. Qrow could hardly watch but the two men were enjoying the view, or at least they were until Winter sank her first striped ball, then another, then another. The only reason she stopped was because she had to use a solid to knock another stripe in and ended her turn. The faunus man nudged the ginger who went to the bar while the faunus man took his turn.

He sunk three solids in one hit. Qrow frowned. They had been hustling them. The ginger returned with a drink for Winter and one for Qrow. Qrow dumped both drinks when they weren't looking, not trusting these scumbags. The faunus missed his last shot and nodded to Qrow. Qrow knocked another stripe in but missed on his second shot. The ginger man sank the last of the solids, leaving only the 8 ball. There were three striped balls left on the table. The ginger man laughed and the faunus man began taking the cash out of the pockets and counting it up. The ginger man took the last shot and missed, just barely avoiding a scratch.

Winter clapped and grabbed her stick, skipping over to the table. She stopped and stumbled slightly and ended up using the table to support her whole weight as her legs stopped working. Qrow hadn't meant to get her this drunk but he couldn't help but wonder how good she was at this when sober. She took a shot and knocked two stripes in at once. She stretched over the empty part of the table and laid her entire torso across heavily and took another shot, knocking the last striped ball in, her lucky number 13. Winter wobbled over to the opposite side and the ginger man laughed.

"There is no way you can make that shot, nothing is lined up with you, babydoll." He teased.

Winter ignored him and focused on the white cue ball. She struck it hard and fast, not aiming one place or another. She managed to put some spin on it and it smacked into the 8 ball, sending it hurdling into the corner pocket and leaving the cue ball safely in the middle of the table. She cheered and walked over to the faunus man, plucking the money out of his hands. He fumed and pushed her back.

"You bitch, you've been hustling us." He shouted and grabbed Winter's arm tightly.

Winter's expression quickly dropped to rage. She used her arm to pull him down towards her. She used her position on the table for leverage and wrapped her legs around his neck, squeezing tightly with her thighs. He picked her up and she used her weight against him, knocking them both to the floor. The ginger man ran over to attack her while she was down but Qrow ran forward and slammed his fist into the man's face. Qrow dodged retaliation blows and landed two solid right hooks on the man. Winter appeared behind the man and cracked him over the head with her stick then grabbed him and flipped him. Qrow grabbed her hand and pulled her away. He threw a 50 to the bartender shouting "Keep the change!" as they ran out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

He threw on his helmet and swung Winter on behind him. She pulled her helmet on quickly and they disappeared down another alley. Qrow parked on the roof of a parking garage and jumped off. Winter followed suit and pulled off her helmet. They looked at each other then laughed hysterically.

"Holy shit, Ice Queen, what was that?!" He laughed, his smile splitting his face.

"I went to a military academy, Qrow. I have six black belts in four different martial arts." Winter sat on the dirty ground and held her stomach as she laughed.

"Wow, are there any other secret skills you have?" Qrow asked, joining her on the ground.

"I am proficient in fencing and speak three languages. I also have complete control over my gag reflex." She shot back. He raised his eyebrows.

"Ok, I'm curious about that last one." Qrow grinned.

"Simple, lots of practice." Winter winked. "Really I just hate throwing up. That's why I've been holding it in since you let me finish that fourth shot of tequila. Yes, I did notice."

"Winter, that's not healthy. You gotta let it out." Qrow looked concerned. That was a long time to hold onto something your body doesn't want in and he wasn't sure how experienced she was with drinking.

"Fine, just don't make fun of me when I cry." Winter said, walking over to the edge of the parking garage. "Oh look, they followed us. Think I can hit them from here?" Winter asked casually.

Before Qrow could respond, Winter leaned over the edge of the wall and retched hard. Qrow ran forward to hold her hair back and to keep her weighted on this side of the wall. He heard two indignant screams of disgust below them. Winter sat down for a moment and bawled her eyes out, gasping for air.

"That - hic- hurt so much. But I got them!" Winter tried her best to settle down, her breathing slowly steadying. Qrow handed her a handkerchief and she wiped her face and mouth.

"We should probably get out of here now, but I'm impressed. You are exceeding my expectations, Ice Queen." Qrow chuckled.

"Well, they tried to drug me so they deserve it." She snapped back indignantly.

Winter sat there shivering until Qrow held out a hand to help her up. She was wobbly, but able to stand. He pulled off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She put her arms through and zipped it up. They hopped onto the cycle and pulled on their helmets. Winter held tightly as Qrow zipped down the garage's ramps. They passed two dirty redheaded who were fuming with anger and he laughed. Harbinger was out of sight by the time they realised who had passed them. Qrow turned down a series of intersections, following the green lights until they were suitably far from the Crowbar.

"Hey, I know this area. I live that way." Winter pointed to the left.

"Oh yeah? That's good." Qrow turned left.

Winter guided him to her apartment's parking garage. Since her car was in Patch he just parked in her spot. The pair jumped off and set down their helmets. Winter led him to the exit and looked to him for guidance. He looked at his watch.

"Tsk, not even midnight. The night is still young and I am still sober. Are you up for another outing?" Qrow asked.

"Yes, I think so, but if we're walking can we stop inside and freshen up a little bit?" Winter asked nervously.

"Sure, lead the way." Qrow gestured for her to go ahead of him.

She made her way up several flights of steps, only needing Qrow to push her up some of the time. She got to her apartment, number 404, and fumbled with her keys. Finally the lock clicked and she pushed the door open. The apartment was small but pleasant. The minimalist design made the space look much larger than it was and the large windows gave them a wonderful view of the city lights. The walls were white and the floor was black. To his surprise, most of her furniture was grey barring some black wood.

"A fan of Ikea, Ice Queen?" He teased but Winter nodded vigorously. He shrugged, not expecting her response.

Winter shut the door behind him and gestured for him to sit on the soft grey sofa. He sat down and immediately laid back, stretching out on the comfortable couch. Winter removed his jacket and draped it on the arm of the chair before she disappeared through the door on the right which he assumed led to her bedroom. He got up and wandered to the kitchenette, helping himself to a glass of water. There was a yelp and a thump from the bedroom and then silence. Qrow knocked on the door.

"Ice Queen, you okay?" Nothing. "Winter, hey…" Qrow opened the door and froze.

Winter stood there, shirt halfway off and stuck over her head. She wore a lacy blue bra and her figure was just as exquisite as he had guessed it would be, but her skin looked so much softer and inviting. He couldn't help but laugh at her. Winter flailed, realising he was in her room and struggled harder. Qrow put a hand on her shoulder and helped by undoing the buttons that were making her stuck. He pulled the shirt off over her head and she refused to meet his eyes, her face as red as a rose.

"Mind if I use the bathroom?" Qrow asked. She shook her head and he went into the next room to give her some privacy and to relieve himself.

Winter pulled off her skirt and just about died as Qrow exited the bathroom. He put a hand up to shield his face, but it didn't actually shield anything. She quickly pulled off the rest of her clothing and changed before Qrow could enter her room again. She changed into a nice summer dress that her sister had helped her pick out for a family picnic, but it had been deemed too short by her father after she hit a minor growth spurt. Winter grinned spitefully in the mirror, imagining how scandalized her father would be knowing she was out on the town with an older man in a skirt that revealed so much of her legs.

Her sober side reminded her that that man was her _mentor_ and that she was supposed to be learning. She toyed with the idea of wearing tights but decided on a pair of yoga short and knee high socks. She brushed her hair and teeth and washed her face before tying her hair in a loose side braid and touching up her makeup. She laced up a comfortable pair of ballet flats and exited the room. Qrow stood by her bookshelf, snooping around through her things.

"It's about time you finished up, jeez. It's almost 11…" Qrow turned to look at her and trailed off.

His expression made Winter slightly nervous, as if she had overstepped some boundary. Her normal posture reflected her nerves and she curled slightly inward. Qrow smiled and wrapped her arm around his.

"Well since you are properly dressed now, I know exactly what we're going to do next." He winked and they marched out the door together.


	8. Chapter 8

"A club? Are you sure?" Winter raised an eyebrow and looked at Qrow. "Almost getting drugged once in one night is more than enough for me."

"Relax, this place isn't dangerous unless Yang's with me. We're in the nice part of Vale, remember?" Qrow grinned. Winter looked at him with wide eyes.

"You bring your _niece_ here?!" She gasped.

"No, _she_ brings _me._ She's friends with the owner, sorta." Qrow skipped the line nodded at the bouncer who shakily opened the door and immeditately ducked out of their way.

"What kind of _friend_ are we talking?" Winter narrowed her eyes at the bouncer and then Qrow.

"Well… Oh hey look, booze!" Qrow ran over and ordered a line of shots.

"You are not getting me to do this again." Winter rolled her eyes.

"Nope, just one. The others are for me, I have some catching up to do now that I'm not driving."

Qrow had all five shots gone before Winter finished chasing her first. She ordered a Strawberry Sunrise and it was immediately thrust in front of her. "On the house," according to the shaky bartender. Winter shook her head, deciding to finish her drink before her strict sober side could catch up. She was doing so well and her mentor was proud, she had to keep this going. She drank fast and ended up splitting another round of shots with Qrow before he pulled her onto the dancefloor.

"This is a great song!" Qrow cheered.

"This is an old song!" Winter groaned teasingly. She would never admit how much she enjoyed garbage 80s music, certainly not to someone like Qrow.

He laughed as she swayed but remained unyielding. Her posture was a little more fluid, the alcohol beginning to thaw the ice in her blood, but she wasn't letting loose. He grabbed her hand and spun her around, taking her by surprise. He put another hand on her hip and began moving fluidly, letting the music move him.

"Just like on the cycle, Ice Queen. Move with me and we can get through this. Trust me?" Qrow asked. After everything they had been through tonight, how could she not?

Winter put her hands on his waist and began to move with him, pulling in closer to better match his movements. Qrow chuckled and began moving more sporadically, speeding up and slowing down and moving around the dancefloor in some kind of mad, dubstep guided waltz. Winter couldn't help but laugh at him as he took her into a mock tango stance and dipped her deeply.

"That's not how you do that, Qrow!" She chuckled.

"Oh, and I suppose you're a dancer too." Qrow sassed her.

"In fact I am. I did ballet for 10 years and took the occasional waltz and swing lessons to keep my father satisfied." Winter grinned smugly.

"Well, that explains your posture… and hair… and bitchy attitude." Qrow teased her, dipping her again without warning.

"I resent your accusation, though I do not deny it. I am a product of my environment just as you are I'm sure." Winter took the lead and Qrow fell into step. If the workers weren't so scared of Qrow and certain relatives of his, people probably would have look at them funny as they began ballroom dancing to an upbeat techno hit.

"I grew from my environment, not it in. I came from a poor family, plenty of abuse and neglect. My teachers all said I would amount to nothing so I didn't really apply myself until I met one teacher who saw something in me." Qrow looked Winter in the eyes and she could see his sincerity.

"Mr. Ozpin used to be a history teacher before he was superintendent, and he was a damn good one too. He took a genuine interest in me and all of his students. He would ask what I wanted from life, something that I had never thought of before. He asked me what I wanted and when I finally answered with a solid answer, he showed me how to set goals and take steps to reach my dreams. He always gave me the tools to find answers, even when I wanted him to just tell me what to do.

If I didn't get homework done because I had to work extra shifts to support my family, he would give me time to make it up. If I was having trouble and causing fights, he would ask me to think about my behavior and consider what was really causing it and then encouraged me to get help when I needed it. When times were tough, he would notice and 'accidentally' pack an extra sandwich. He understood that being a teenager is just as hard as being an adult, but with the added stress of uncontrollable hormones. I had other great teachers in my life too, don't get me wrong, but I knew that I wanted to be just like him. I wanted my kids to know that I care and that I understand. I wanted them to trust me like I trust Oz. That's why I became a teacher." Qrow dipped Winter again to hide his nostalgia.

"I trust you." Winter whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and they just sway in sync for a while.

"My father owns a large, multi billion dollar oil company. He didn't have children, he produced heirs. Each of us were specifically bred to be beautiful and we were groomed to be shown off. I have lived my entire life under a higher authority. I was raised to play by the rules or suffer by the hands of my father. I was blessed to be able to learn any skills I wanted, only for my father to show off my trophies and successes as his own because he paid for it. I spent my life in a military academy and I have only ever felt truly at home while at school. I was raised by my strict teachers and I suppose they are the ones that I emulate.

Life if hard as a teenager but knowing your limits and boundaries can be a big help, as can organization and occasionally discipline. My entire life has been discipline and seeking approval from those around me. Science is my interest but helping students find their way is my passion, even if I express it differently than you."

Qrow gazed into Winter's eyes and grinned at the genuine fire behind them. The music had long since faded away for them, leaving them alone in the room. They were inches apart, baring their souls to each other as if they had spent every day up until then at each other's throats. Winter rested her heavy head on his shoulder and he pulled her closer.

"I'm sorry I didn't see that before, Ice Queen. I guess neither of us are really doing it wrong, just differently." Qrow ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly.

"Perhaps we should come to a compromise. I will try to relax more, with your help, and I will help you become more organized next week." Winter offered, looking up at him again.

"Awh, and here I was hoping you were going to offer to discipline me, or vice versa." Qrow teased.

"The night is still young, Mr. Branwen." Winter winked and he laughed, pushing the mental images out of his head.

"Let me get you another drink. You've earned it tonight. You are going to be so mad at me in the morning though." Qrow let go of Winter and stepped away. She giggled.

"Why, are you going to do something that will make me angry tonight? Winter teased.

"It's hard not to when you keep saying things like that, Ice Queen." Qrow muttered under his breath as he headed to the bar.

Maybe more drinks was the last thing they needed, or maybe they just needed to go somewhere to kill time and sober up. Qrow thanked the bartender for the drinks and returned to where Winter was slouching against the wall. He handed her her glass and he drank his quickly.

"Last drink of the night, we have a few more stops to make." Qrow smiled.

"It's 1 o'clock in the morning, what else could we possibly do?" Winter whined.

"Bowling."

"Bowling?"

"Bowling."


	9. Chapter 9

The Laserbowl was one of Qrow's favorite places to take the girls. There were steep discounts after midnight and they stayed opened until 3am. There were black lights and lasers and an arcade as well as unlimited bowling. Winter paid for this even since Qrow had bought the drinks for the evening. She also had the most cash as she had managed to keep a hold of her pool winnings. Winter reluctantly handed over her ballet flats for a pair of obnoxious bowling shoes.

Winter headed over the the ball rack and weighed each ball in her hand before deciding on the blue 8 pounder. Qrow grabbed for a red 13 and swaggered over to their lane. He began typing in their names. Winter rolled her eyes and IceQueen and HotStuff took the board. IceQueen was lined up to go first. Winter held her ball and visualized her attack. She estimated how hard to roll, how much spin to add and what form to use. Unlike pool, she refused to just throw willy nilly with such a heavy weight, it was dangerous. She approached the line with perfect form and cheered as she hit a strike.

"Loosen up, Ice Queen. It's a game, not a battle." Qrow winced as she destroyed the pins.

"If this isn't a battle then why is there a winner?" Winter quipped, sitting down.

Qrow rolled his eyes and approached the line. He focused on the middle and made sure to release at just the right angle. He got a strike but shook his head. He was being a physics teacher, not Qrow. He was likely doing the same thing that she had done, but without the instinct of a fighter. He turned to Winter.

"I think you're getting the hang of Rule Number One. It's time to move onto Rule Number Two." Qrow put his hands on his his hips.

"Oh yeah? What would that be?" Winter grinned as she grabbed her ball and threw another strike.

"Teaching is exhausting. It changes everything about you, your personality and your habits. You have to be behaved enough to be a good influence on the kids you teach, but you need to remember that you aren't just a teacher. You are, first and foremost, a human." Qrow grabbed his ball.

"I'm a faunus." Winter grinned as he froze. "Just kidding, sorry. Continue your thought."

"Rule Number Two of teaching is learning how to wing it. You need to let go of everything you've learned and just wing it. Let your instincts take over," Qrow faced Winter and threw the ball with both hands between his legs. "Sometimes it works even better and is twice as fun." He grinned as the strike sounded.

"I don't think I can…" Winter frowned.

"You're too sober." Qrow joked.

"Well I am hardly going to be drunk at school. If I want this lesson to stick then I need to remove the tequila training wheels at let go of my own volition." Winter gripped the ball, the determination evident. Qrow was impressed at how seriously she was taking this, even if that was why they were here in the first place.

Winter walked up to the line just as before, her posture perfect and her form precise. Qrow watched and smiled and she covered her eyes with one hand and threw the ball. It landed in the gutter almost immediately and Winter frowned. Qrow jumped up and put an arm around her.

"You did it!" He cheered and hugged her.

"I failed." Winter snapped.

"That's how you learn." Qrow patted her back. "You have to accept your failures just as you have to accept your student's failures, and that is easier to do when you aren't bound by the rules of what you were trained to do."

He grabbed his ball and he spun it hard as he threw it. It spun like a top the whole way down the lane and got dangerously close to the gutter a number of times. It only ended up hitting a few pins but he got a spare the second time around after changing his tactic. Winter returned to her perfect form, discouraged by her gutter ball. She gasped as she managed to get a 7/10 split that she missed on her next turn.

"Sometimes you get close to failing, sometimes you only get a few kids to understand and then you have to change tactics to get to the others. Training doesn't always work, especially when dealing with a tough situation." Qrow pointed out.

"You're getting preachy." Winter frowned.

"Well I have to preach, you aren't practicing." Qrow bumped her hip with his and he threw another trick ball.

Winter sighed heavily and took her ball again. She tried throwing with her left hand, she tried throwing backwards, she tried rolling gently and throwing hard. Each time she got a gutterball, once she even let go too soon and dropped the ball on Qrow's foot. She held her ball for the second to last round and sighed. Why should she even bother at this point?

"It's also okay to ask for help when you start to get discouraged by failure." Qrow approached her from behind and guided her hand, tickling her side when he wanted her to let go.

Winter squeaked and swatted him but turned around quickly when she heard a small crash. It wasn't a strike, but she had hit one pin. That one pin had knocked over four other pins. Winter threw on her own this time, just focusing on her goal and not caring about her form of achieving pins crashed and it took two pins to pull the last stubborn one down. She had done it. She threw her arms around Qrow and he spun her around.

"Sometimes it just takes one...and sometimes you need help to know what you want to do, even if you end up doing the opposite?" Winter looked up at him, guessing what his next lesson would be. Qrow nodded.

"Let's move on, I forget what rule we're on, but you're catching on. It is important to reward your students, especially when they exceed all of your expectations." Qrow grinned and stepped aside to reveal a large cheese and mushroom pizza.

Winter couldn't control the pure excitement on her face. She was starving, the only food that she had eaten in hours was half a plate of nachos that she managed to throw up anyway. She grabbed a large slice and immediately shoved half of it into her mouth, not caring that the grease was dripping on her face. Qrow used his finger to catch the drip before it landed on her clothes and licked it, chuckling at her excitement. Winter blushed.

"I didn't know what kind you liked, so I got my favorite. I guess you must like it, considering how you are deepthroating it" Qrow smirked with a raised eyebrow. He sat down and poured two plastic cups full of the beer he had bought a pitcher of, handing one to Winter.

"My favorite is white pizza with mushroom and broccoli, but right now you could feed me a tire and I wouldn't mind. I'm starving." Winter moaned as she bit into a second slice, this time dipping it in the garlic butter he had brought.

Winter took her cup of beer and emptied it to help her get the last bite down. She had inhaled two large slices and it was now time to slow down before she got sick again. Winter sat down and took a napkin to wipe her face. Qrow helped her with a smudge that she missed and she blushed again at his proximity. She wouldn't have been so antsy if he had used a napkin, but why waste the paper when he could use his mouth. Winter turned to face him but he hadn't pulled back yet. They were so close after just one evening, and now his face was resting against hers. She could feel his breath on her face and was hyper aware of the fact that his eyes kept flicking to her mouth. He shook his head slightly and sat back, grabbing another slice of pizza.

He bought the pizza for a reason. He was always under the impression that there was nothing sexy about pizza, but then she had to go and deepthroat it, moaning and all. He was gone. He finished the pitcher of beer and finished another slice. There wasn't much left of the pizza and Winter was beginning to slow down too. He got a smaller to-go box from the food stand and returned to where Winter was sitting. She was gazing off into space, her hand on her cheek.

"You ready to go home yet, Ice Queen?" Qrow asked, it was already three in the morning.

"But we haven't gotten to the arcade yet." Winter pouted.

"You gave me the whole weekend, remember? Besides, there's a better one I want to take you to."

"But we're here now!" Winter sighed. Tired Winter was a cranky Winter.

"Well, I figured you would want your first time to be special, not in some dirty bowling alley." Qrow teased her.

"It's not my first time!" Winter huffed.

"Suuuuure. I was talking about video games, Ice Queen."

"So was I!" Winter huffed and blushed slightly. "C'mon."

She was almost sober, but her exhaustion prevented her from returning to her uptight self. She grabbed Qrow's arm and dragged him in the direction of her apartment. Qrow held tight to the pizza and let her drag him for a while. The spring was warming up into summer, but Vale could still get chilly at night. He noticed the goosebumps forming on her arms and even her legs, which is impressive considering how hot they are. He took off his jacket and put it over her again, this time allowing his arm to remain across her shoulders. They walked at an easier pace and Qrow made some joke that Winter laughed at. Qrow was grateful for once that he was sober since it meant that he would remember this night for years to come.


	10. Chapter 10

Winter unlocked her door and entered, immediately rushing to the TV stand. She opened the doors and rummaged around. Qrow entered and sat down on the couch, kicking his shoes off. He closed his eyes and began dozing softly, tired from a long day. They'd been up for over 20 hours at the point. He woke up only when he heard a familiar jingle. He sat up slightly and looked at Winter then at the screen. She smiled like a child telling a secret.

"You have a gamecube?" Qrow raised his eyebrows, surprise glinting in his eyed. Winter threw him a controller.

"Wanna smash?" She asked with a grin and inserted the Smash Bros cartridge.

Qrow moved over to let Winter sit with him on the couch and they enjoyed kicking each other's legs to throw the other off. They played for another two hours before Winter began nodding off. Qrow knew she was completely out when he was able to push her Samus off of the map with no resistance. He stood up and stretched before heading to the door. He started moving forward but a hand caught his arm. He turned around and Winter looked up at him sleepily.

"Stay." She whispered.

"You need to sleep." Qrow tried to remove her hand from his arm but she wasn't having it.

"You need to drive me to my car later. Just stay here tonight." Winter grumbled and pulled him back onto the couch.

"Fine, but you need to go back to your bed. I'll sleep on the couch." Qrow lifted her up by the arms. She was floppy and fussy and definitely would be very hungover whenever she eventually woke up.

"It's a big bed. The couch will hurt." Winter whined. Qrow hoisted her over his shoulder.

"You are definitely not going to remember most of tonight, Ice Queen. Believe me when I say that you do not need the stress of waking up next to me right now." Qrow flopped her onto her bed. Winter kept fussing but conceded.

He pulled off her shoes and jacket and pulled the blanket over her, wrapping her up like a burrito. He grabbed an extra blanket and cushion from the end of the bed and laid it on the couch. When he returned to Winter's room with a glass of water and bottle of pain relievers, she was out cold. She snored, just slightly. It was undeniably adorable. Qrow returned to the couch and pulled the blanket over him. He fell asleep almost immediately. Somehow, he felt comfortable here.


	11. Chapter 11

Qrow woke up to the sound of Winter retching. He looked at his phone on the coffee table. It was 11am. Also his phone was almost dead. Also he had like 10 missed calls from Tai. Qrow figured that Winter would be a while so "borrowed" her charger and phoned Tai. It rang once and Qrow was met with an immediate "Where the hell are you?" from Tai.

"What do you mean 'where am I?'" Qrow smirked, teasing his best friend.

"I _mean_ it's Saturday afternoon and you never came home! Did you pass out in another alley? You're not in jail right? I know the bartender at Crowbar said there was a fight..." Tai was a nag, but Qrow was happy to know that his worrying was out of love.

"I'm fine. I stayed with a friend on the nice side of town." Qrow laid back, cuddling into the pillow. It smelled so nice and clean, like cotton and lavendar and fresh air. He sighed contentedly.

"Was this a _girl_ friend?" Tai asked, suddenly suspicious of his friend's happiness.

"Maybe." Qrow grinned.

Winter chose that moment to exit her room with a stretch and a yawn. She had pulled off her dress and was wearing her yoga shorts and a loose t-shirt that had the name of an indie rock band on it. Her eyes were barely opened and she had her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail in case she felt sick again. She sat down on the couch and snuggled up to him, pulling the blanket over them.

"Well good morning to you too. Did you take the medicine I left?" Qrow asked her, ignoring Tai's mother hen squawking.

"Yes, thank you." Winter sighed, burying her face into his side to hide from the light.

"Don't forget to eat something so it doesn't make you sick again." Qrow laughed as Tai demanded his attention. Winter huffed.

"After I take a shower. I feel like my skin doesn't fit." Winter shuddered and stood. Qrow returned to his phone conversation.

"Relax Tai, _I'm_ not the hungover one for once. I'll have you know I barely drank last night." Qrow grinned.

"You did 6 shots of tequila and drank a pitcher of beer!" Winter shouted at him as she entered her room.

"Yeah, Ice Queen, that's barely drinking. I usually come come in worse state than you did last night, or should I say this morning." Qrow's smirk did not last long. Winter shut the door with an eye roll that definitely hurt her more than it hurt him.

"_Ice Queen?!_ Qrow, you didn't-" Tai panicked.

"I didn't." Qrow said firmly. He then double checked that Winter wouldn't hear. "I slept on the couch."

"Good!" Tai didn't hide his sigh of relief. "I can't believe you ended up meeting Winter out there so late. She doesn't seem like the 'going out' type."

"I didn't, I took her out."

"Like on a date?"

"I mean, not technically…" Qrow thought back to the night they had, and cringed at how it was definitely the best date that he had ever been on. "It was mostly just going to be drinking but…"

"You take her bowling?" Tai asked, knowingly.

"And dancing…And then I gave her my jacket and we walked through the city together." Qrow dropped his head into his hand.

"You'd better clarify to her that it wasn't a date. You don't want her to get the wrong idea." Qrow could feel the threat looming behind Tai's words.

"I don't know if that's necessarily true…" Qrow grinned as Winter walked back into the room wearing a towel.

"Have you seen my phone?" Winter asked, Qrow pointed to his jacket that kept buzzing throughout the night. She rummaged around and found her phone and began checking her notifications.

"You don't know that it wasn't a date or that you don't want it to be a date?" Tai asked, pulling Qrow back to the conversation. Qrow's eyes remained on Winter's back.

"Either, both, does it matter?" Qrow laid his head back and closed his eyes.

"I suppose it doesn't. Both are majorly breaching so many boundaries. Qrow this is a bad idea."

"We can talk about this later. Later, Tai." Qrow hung up, ignoring Tai's shouts of resistance. He lifted his head to look at Winter. Her hand covered her mouth and she was reading her phone in a panic.

"What's wrong?" Qrow asked. Winter looked ready to cry.

"I have a project that is due in less than an hour and my father is planning a surprise visit tomorrow." Winter dialed her number 1 speed dial contact. Qrow heard it ring once, then twice. A scratchy voice answered.

"Weiss, has he left yet?" Winter's voice was visibly panicked.

"Not yet, he had a meeting with Mr. Ironwood to check on your progress in the school. He will be leaving afterward though." Weiss croaked.

"Damn. Has Klein been taking care of you?" Winter asked.

"With plenty of soup and teasing. We told father that it was strep, so if he asks…" Weiss coughed.

"Of course. I'm sorry for calling. Please text me when he leaves. Feel better." Winter hung up the phone with a sigh.

"What do you need me to do?" Qrow asked. Winter stood up, her stiff posture returned and her face icy. She held her towel with one hand but she looked as menacing as ever.

"I need you to leave." Winter frowned. She didn't _want_ him to leave though.

"How long do you have?"

"Two hours at most…" Winter frowned. "Not long enough to finish my project."

"How much is this project worth?"

"20 points."

"Fuck off!"

"Qrow, language!"

Qrow threw his head back and laughed. "How much do you have done already?"

"Only the first 5 questions of 10." Winter started her laptop. She had already wasted 15 precious minutes.

"Listen. I'll tell you what I tell all of my students. A 50% is better than a 0 and in the grand scheme of things, 10 missed points is nothing. You have a BS, you know math or else you wouldn't have gotten this far. I'm sure you have plenty of wiggle room in your grade."

"I already let it drop to a 98.4%, I can't…"

"Cs get degrees, Ice Queen. Finish what you can and set a timer so you can still submit on time. It's really not a big deal. I'll make myself scarce and you can text me when your dad is gone so I can take you to your car." Qrow patted her back and went to gather his things.

"You can shower while I work, since I won't be able to yet. You reek." Winter turned to her computer and began typing furiously. Qrow grinned, knowing that was her way of saying thank you.

He stepped into her bathroom and undressed. It was small very small but pristine. More white walls, more grey floors, but her shower curtain was striped and navy blue. She had an aromatherapy candle in a sea glass container. She even had a painting of a sailboat on the water hung up above the toilet. He turned on the shower and was greeted with a pleasantly strong stream of water. She didn't have as many products as he expected her to have, just a simple bar of soap in a sponge holder and a bottle each of shampoo and conditioner.

He rubbed the soap in his hand and scrubbed himself. It felt oddly intimate, being in her shower, but she was right. After a long day and night of running and drinking and fighting, he reeked. He rinsed his hair and face and turned off the shower. He grabbed the fluffy blue towel that was left on the rack and dried himself off before opening the medicine cabinet. He laughed, her makeup and personal hygiene items were arranged methodically and organized into sections. He noted that she had two toothbrushes in the cup, one of them likely belonging to Weiss, and he took the last one out of the plastic box of new brushes.

He didn't use her toothpaste, that would be weird. He was just happy to feel clean. Maybe being drunk in a gutter wasn't the best way to spend the weekend after all. Qrow got dressed and brushed his hair with his fingers. Winter was submitting the project when he exited.

"You get it done?" Qrow asked,

"I got two more done. It is enough to get a B." Winter sighed. "I need to learn to accept less than perfection or my students will be miserable."

"You are absolutely right. Now go shower before your dad gets here. Even if I'm gone, you smell like you spent the night drinking and you are wearing nothing but a towel." Qrow flicked her bare shoulder and she froze, now aware enough of the world around her to know that she was sitting beside her mentor in nothing but a towel.

"It's fine, you're not the only co-worker I've seen naked. Tai used to be a wild drunk and loved to streak. There was this one time at a football game…" Qrow trailed off as Winter ran off to shower.

He grinned and gathered the last of his things. He folded up the blanket and pillow and laid them back on Winter's bed. He washed the few dishes that they had used and he helped himself to the box containing the remains of last nights pizza. He would need some food to help him kill time. He left without a trace and smiled as he made his way to the parking garage.

He leaned against the wall beside Harbinger and ate the cold pizza before his stomach ate itself out of hunger. He ate slowly and grinned, thinking of the night prior. He was just finishing the last slice when he saw a ridiculous car drive by. The car stopped by the steps and a thin, wiry man stepped out. He had beady blue eyes and snow white hair and a face that could freeze fire. His moustache was perfectly manicured, as were his nails. Qrow scoffed and finish shoving the whole crust of the last slice in his mouth. Hopefully Ice Queen had everything under control.

He hopped on Harbinger and drove back to Tai's to get a change of clothes, and also to annoy him. Tai started laying into him immediately. The second he parked outside Tai ran outside in his apron and started shaking a cookie dough covered wooden spoon at him. Qrow responded by licking the spoon which changed the nagging topic from "boundaries and legality" to "general hygiene and manners." Qrow changed and helped Tai and the girls make cookies, awaiting Winter's text.


	12. Chapter 12

The text never came. Qrow stayed at Tai's but remained sober, just in case the message ever came. He waited until 4 am before he passed out, unable to wait any longer. Sunday came and he drove past the park where Winter's car had been parked and saw that it was gone. He returned to Tai's and spent the entire day drinking himself into oblivion.

Tai was right and he was an idiot, there are boundaries that he crossed and rules that he had broken. He was a scruffy old man and had no sense cavorting, as innocently as it may have been, with Winter Schnee. He initially held out hope that this was her father's doing and not her choice, but her car was gone. The night quickly approached and Qrow was passed out on the floor. Tai and Yang had to work together to carry him up to his bed.

Yang woke him up on her way to school. He was very late. He threw on some cleanish clothes then hopped onto the bus with Ruby since there was no way he could drive in his state. He stumbled up to his classroom just after the late bell and was stunned to see that he students were inside. Winter was taking roll at the front of the classroom. She was focussed on the students but Qrow was focused on her.

Her hair was tied up in her tight bun, however she allowed two perfectly positioned stray hairs frame her face. Her makeup was immaculate if not a little heavier than normal. She wore dark blue pants that fit her form and a pair of designer paddock boots underneath. A long sleeved white blouse buttoned up to her collarbone, but she had left the top button undone. She had at least taken some of his comments to heart. Qrow's head and heart both hurt.

He ambled to the back of the classroom. She looked at him, an odd expression that looked mildly like fear crossed her face. He nodded to her and motioned for her to continue on with the lesson of the day. He closed the blinds and sat back and watched as best he could through the blinding hangover. Winter was nervous, but hid it well. She got through the lesson with ease and minimal scoldings so that was a win. The next three periods continued much the same.

Lunch came and the students left, leaving Qrow and Winter alone in the classroom. Winter approached him with concern on her face. Qrow walked past her, blanking her in a way that was maybe a little too harsh. He winced at his actions when she wasn't looking and he rummaged in his desk drawer for some cash so he could buy lunch from the cafeteria. He came up short and decided to go mooch off of Tai again. He stood and Winter blocked his path. She was determined.

"Move it, Ice Queen. I'm hungry and hungover." And a little but heartbroken, but he didn't mention that.

"I'm sorry." Winter stated with conviction. It was such a commanding tone that he almost didn't realise that she was apologizing.

"Good. If you were done with me after one night you could have just said you know, instead of leaving without a word." Qrow tried to push past her. She placed a hand on his chest and looked in his eyes. He could see the facade begin to slip and she bit her lower lip.

"I wasn't. I wanted to come meet you but…" She turned away from him, unable to meet his eye, and he noted some discoloration under her makeup.

"What did he do you you." Qrow growled, pulling back the loose hair to see the redness that was too far back to cover.

"He was displeased with…anything he could think of really. He insisted on staying for the weekend to keep a closer eye on me and accused me of lying to him when I said I had a lunch meeting with my mentor. He took my phone and had Klein arrange for my car to be delivered to me. I am so sorry. I didn't mean to abandon you after you had done so much for me." Winter stepped aside and waited for his response.

"Not as sorry as he's going to be when I'm done with him." Qrow was furious. Winter went white.

"No, please no. Please, don't make this worse. I worked so hard to smooth things out this weekend. Just come and let me get you lunch to make things up to you, please." Winter put her head in her hands and started turning red.

"Winter, this is not something I take lightly. Besides, as a public school teacher I am legally required to report any suspected domestic abuse." Qrow turned away from her and began rummaging in his desk. Winter stomped around in front of him.

"I am not your student! I am a grown woman and I can take care of myself."

"What about Weiss?" Qrow finally looked up at her with a smirk. Winter's rage gave way to pure ice cold fury.

"Don't you fucking dare." Winter hissed, slamming her hands on the table. Qrow raised his eyebrows and stood up. "I have done unspeakable things to keep her from his fury and if you drag her into it I will personally tear you limb from limb." Her face was inches from his and a shiver went down his spine.

"Winter, I have to do something. What would you do in my position?" Qrow ran his hand through his hair, now a little more serious than before.

"I would hunt the bastard down and kill him, I am a little biased, but that's not the point." Winter frowned and sat on the desk, deep in thought.

"That's exactly the point. Another important thing you need to learn from this is that you are going to meet students from all walks of life and someday you will inevitably have to intervene in an abuse situation. It never gets easy and sometimes the best option would be to beat the everliving snot out of the abuser, but we can't do that." Qrow frowned.

"My father is too rich and powerful to be punished. He _will_ take any scuffing of his ego out on myself and possibly Weiss. Please, can we wait to take action until we can form a plan?"

"It's not my call to make, Oz will have a better idea of what to do. What I will say is that you and Weiss are welcome to come to Tai's house if he ever tries anything. Just call and we'll get you, though I'm sure Weiss knows the way."

"Is this what you do for all of your students?" Winter frowned.

"No. Just the ones that aren't my students." Qrow put a hand gently on her shoulder.

She touched his hand gently, half tempted to throw it off of her and half tempted to throw her arms around him and never let go. She decided to simply reciprocate the touch of comfort until he pulled away.

"I'm going to talk to Jimmy and Oz. You stay here, the kids will be coming in soon enough." Qrow looked up at the clock then walked out the door.

The minutes felt like hours. Winter could feel the pull to just completely disassociate but she forced herself to focus on the papers that she took to grading. Students began to trickle in after lunch and she finally had to drag her focus away from her busy work. She greeted each student absentmindedly and began to move on autopilot and begin the video. Thank heavens it was a Monday Movie day.

She could feel the tension coiling in her shoulders and her stomach felt like boiling stones. Her mind was floating somewhere outside of her body and she could swear she was watching the class from above the room. The sounds would come and go but the fear remained. She should have hid it better. She must have subconsciously wanted him to know and this was her punishment for it. She felt guilt and relief, fear and hate, and nausea. She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them she noticed some students staring at her.

"Are you alright, Miss Schnee?" "You don't look so good." "Are you hungover too?" "Were you out drinking with Uncle Qrow?" The questions would typically launch her into a defensive tirade defending her honor, but they are just children. Winter softened slightly.

"I am alright. I missed lunch and so I have formed a migraine. No need to worry." Winter forced a small smile to reassure them, though she couldn't help but end with "Please focus and finish your work now."

The students filed out as the bell rang to end the period and there was no sign of Qrow. Winter clenched one fist until her nails dug into her palm to stay focused. The next period of kids began wandering in and she began the video as the late bell sounded. She got up to shut the door and she saw Qrow walking towards her. He motioned her into the hall and Winter dipped out after making sure the class was busy. She shut the door and hurried to stand beside him.

"So?" Winter asked expectantly, not sure what to say. Qrow tried to smile but he looked defeated.

"It's out of my hands. I did what I could do. Jimmy said he would handle it, but I don't know what he means by that."

"Oh…" Winter frowned. Ironwood knew her father well. He would probably have a face to face conference. She would definitely be punished but since it is only Ironwood it may not be so severe.

"Do you have any friends or relatives that aren't owned by your father?" Qrow asked with a frown.

"Is now really the time to question my social circle?" Winter growled.

"Yes, because if and when Ironwood confronts your father I don't want you to be alone. You should be with someone you trust. Or at least have them close by." Qrow looked concerned, it made her skin crawl. Winter stayed silent for a moment.

"No." She finally spat.

"No what? Ice Queen, you really shouldn't go through this alone-" She cut him off.

"No, I don't have any friends or relatives that aren't owned by my father." The truth hurt, but there is was. She thought through her list of loved ones and signed as Jacques owned them in some wa, or at least, most of them. "There's just..." Winter began, dreading the realization that she was having.

"Just what?"

"Just who…" Winter corrected. Qrow looked at her expectantly.

"Well...I trust you…"


	13. Chapter 13

Nothing and no one was going to stop him now. Winter trusted him and he would protect her from anything, even the field mouse in Tai's guest room. The heartless bitch of steel was balancing dangerously on the headboard of the bed and Qrow tried to chase the little bugger out with a sweeping brush. He wasn't terribly fazed by them, they were common in the old farm house and they were far tamer than the city rats that he grew up with in the slums.

Winter was fazed. Winter was very fazed. She didn't shriek or cry, but the panic was evident. She moved faster than he thought possible, then proceeded to be incredibly still and silent until he gave her the all clear to calm down. They shook out the blankets and Qrow finally decided to swap out the linens to calm her down. He resisted the urge to tease her and he could tell that she was kicking herself. He left her to settle in and he went down to check on dinner.

"I can't believe I'm letting you drag me into this shit show. Why did I agree to this?" Tai moaned as Qrow entered.

"Because you have a big ol' bleeding heart that wants to adopt every abused student either of us gets." Qrow offered. Tai rolled his eyes then turned around, pointing a wooden spoon at Qrow.

"No sex in my house." Tai said sternly.

"Aw man, good thing Blake isn't here then." Yang chuckled as she entered the kitchen. Tai growled.

"Why for the love of God can't you like someone your own age! Both of you are killing me! We are breaking so many rules here and none of you seem to care." Tai turned back to his fried rice and grumbled to himself.

"What did _you _do to make him mad." Yang asked her uncle accusingly. Qrow frowned at her indignantly. Winter appeared in the doorway and Yang looked from her to Qrow then to angry Tai and smiled evilly.

"You stop that right now. Do not go any further with that train of thought, you have passed the station please return to platform reality." Qrow sighed as Yang skipped out of the kitchen, passing Winter with a playful "Good evening, Miss Schnee."

Winter sat down cautiously. She was in more casual wear, a simple pair of leggings and a soft, flowing blue shirt. Her hair was down in a side braid again, carefully placed to hide her bruising. She was silent, only speaking when Tai asked if she would like some water.

"Yes please." Winter spoke quietly.

"No servants here, Ice Queen, you gotta help yourself or you're gonna starve." Qrow teased. Winter raised an eyebrow at him but held her tongue.

"Leave her alone, Qrow. She hasn't even been here two hours yet." Tai scolded. Qrow rolled his eyes.

"Come here and I'll show you where everything is." Qrow waved her over.

Winter stood beside him as he pulled open every cabinet and opened every drawer, listing the contents. He helped her find a glass and directed her to the tap to enjoy some high-quality spring water, courtesy of mother nature. She also helped him set the table when Tai called for dinner which won Tai over immediately. Winter sat at the end of the table beside Qrow and Yang came in and took the seat to her right. Winter heard fast footsteps and froze when she felt arms wrap around her neck.

"Weiss! You didn't tell me you were coming over, I thought you were still sick!" Ruby planted a kiss on Winter's, now very red, cheek.

It was like watching a car crash. He knew there would be fallout of indeterminate measure, but he couldn't look away. He wished he could help but all he could do is watch in disbelief, holding back the belly laughter behind a twisted smirk. Winter knew he was absolutely dying to laugh and she glared at him.

"Just let it out before you seize, Branwen." Her tone was icy cool but Qrow's snorting was mildly contagious and she found herself holding back a chuckle.

"Oops, hi Weiss' big sister. Welcome to our humble abode." Ruby backed away awkwardly and took the seat farthest away from Winter.

Yang joined in with Qrow's obnoxiously hideous laughter and Winter began to chuckle as well. Tai was confused, but was glad to see everyone enjoying themselves. He placed a wok full of pork fried rice down on the trivet and began dishing up the food to the offered plates. Everyone settled down and dug into the food. Winter smiled and enjoyed the warmth. She had never gotten lunch, or breakfast, so this was glorious. Tai offered seconds and she accepted with glee.

"This is truly outstanding. Thank you, Tai." Winter smiled.

"Ass kissing won't get you extra." Qrow teased and she stuck a tongue out at him.

"Um, I don't hear anyone else thanking me for their food. Of course she gets extra." Tai dropped another scoop of rice into her bowl to prove his point. Winter smiled.

The smile didn't leave her face until it was time for bed. Tai was a sweet man. She enjoyed speaking with him, not just about books or teaching methods either. They talked about cooking and the weather and country life vs city life. Qrow would poke his nose in every so often with a jab at one of them. If she hadn't known better she would think him jealous. Ruby was sweet, but avoided directly interacting with her after the incident. Yang was Yang: stubborn, teasing, and rude but kind and welcoming. Winter thought of the day as she got ready for bed. She brushed her teeth and hair, got into her pajamas, and all that was left was to wash her face.

The make up came off as expected. The bruise had begun to turn green and brown, thankfully it was healing. Still, the large patch of discoloration on her face brought tears to her eyes. This was hardly the worst she had ever gotten. Just a few heavy handed smacks to the face. He was going easy on her. She sighed and returned to her room with her head down. She collided with a warm body and winced, mostly because she didn't want anyone to see her.

She knew it was Qrow without looking. His hand was on her back and an arm around her waist to keep her steady, and she knew those hands. She wondered when she had gotten so close to him that she could tell him by smell and touch alone but she pushed the thought from her mind. She looked up at him slightly and winced at his expression. He grabbed her chin and she flinched.

"Sorry," he said, realising his mistake and letting her go.

"It's alright. I will look where I am going next time." Winter gave a small smile and headed to her room.

"The bruises don't suit you." Qrow said, making her turn.

"They are far from a fashion statement." She frowned.

"I know, but they're also far from rare, aren't they?" She was quiet for a moment.

"I don't know that I'm strong enough to face him when the time comes." Winter sighed.

"I do. You're strong and you won't be alone. Besides, you aren't just doing this for yourself, are you?" Qrow put his hand on her shoulder again. This time Winter gave in and embraced him. He was shocked but put his arms around her, gently stroking her back. She held him tighter than she meant to but she felt immeasurably better. She back up with a blush.

"Thank you for your support. Goodnight, Mr. Branwen." Winter spoke like a politician to a voter and hurriedly made her way to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Qrow grinned. This woman was something else. Although as cold as she seemed, she was very warm in his arms. He wondered if that was constant or just from blushing. He would have to hug her again, for science.


	14. Chapter 14

Winter woke feeling refreshed. As old and creaky as her temporary bed was, it was soft and warm enough to make her dread leaving it. She turned off her alarm and sat up, slowly moving her fingers and toes to wake them up. She stretched and finally stepped out of bed, shivering as her feet hit the cool wood floor.

She grabbed her bag and the outfit that she had laid out for the day then made her way to the bathroom. She brushed her hair slowly and pulled it into her signature tight bun, allowing a few strands to cover the marks at her hairline. She washed her face and brushed her teeth and pulled out her makeup bag. She frowned. She was almost out of concealer.

She did her best to cover up the bruising but there was hardly anything left. The dark brown still stood out against her pale white skin. She began to her panic. She couldn't go to work like this but she didn't have to to get more. She would just have to miss work.

There was a knock at the door and Winter just stood there staring at her empty concealer bottle in distress. The door opened and a disheveled Yang entered. Her eyes were bleary and she hadn't quite woken up all the way yet.

"Morning, Ice Queen." She yawned and grabbed her own toothbrush.

Yang was halfway through brushing her teeth when she had a moment of clarity. She looked at Winter in the mirror and her mouth fell open, dripping toothpaste and spit in an unladylike manner. Her eyes were wide and awake now.

"What the hell happened to your face?!" Yang spat, mouth still full of toothpaste. Winter turned her disgusted expression from her empty concealer to the young adult beside her. Yang understood and spat and cleaned her face before continuing.

"What happened to your face?" Yang asked, quieter now.

"You know Weiss well enough. I'm sure she has mentioned our father before." Winter said disdainfully. Yang recalled Weiss' description of a difficult home life and she frowned.

"Is that why you're here? But you're a grown up, he can't do that." Yang huffed.

"He owns me. In his mind he can do what he likes regardless of my age." Winter sighed.

"You shouldn't cover that up. Let it all show and get him in trouble!" Yang argued.

"And encourage him to do worse next time? I think not. He would have a field day if a 'tragic accident' befell me and caused me to move back home for care." Winter gave a dry laugh then frowned. "Though I don't have a choice now. I'm all out." Winter threw the empty bottle away.

"Relax. You're in a house full of women." Yang waved her hand and turned to rummage in the cupboard behind the sink. "You're a lot paler than me but you must be close to Ruby's color. Maybe we even have some of Weiss' in here." Yang pulled out a small tube full of a pale white concealer.

"I don't even think Ruby has opened this yet. Here, you can have it." Yang held it out with a smile. Winter thanked her and the two got ready in silence.

Winter finished her makeup and Yang took to the difficult task of brushing out her hair. Ruby wandered in at some point to get ready, as bleary-eyed as Yang was, and followed her morning routine like a zombie. They stepped around each other like it was already a habit. Winter finished first and waved to the girls, wishing them a nice day at school.

She headed down the hall then stopped suddenly. She heard a groan and a thump and saw Qrow's door swing open with reckless abandon. The man stumbled out, looking around wildly. Winter blushed furiously and looked away. He was still in nothing but his sleep shorts.

"Ice Queen, what time is it?" Qrow asked in a panic.

"7:03"

"In the morning?"

"Yes?" Winter was hesitant.

"Oh good." Qrow calmed down and went back into his room. He exited not 4 minutes later, fully clothed, cleaned and brushed.

"Alright, your ready to go?" Qrow asked as he headed to the kitchen.

Tai was in the kitchen and there were 5 lunch bags sitting on the counter. Qrow grabbed his and threw it in his backpack. Tai motioned for Winter to grab one and she thanked him. Qrow opened his bag.

"But this is my lunch." Winter held it close to her like a child.

"Well yeah, you don't want to have it go flying on the way to school right?" Qrow chuckled. "Unless you don't want to ride into school together." Qrow held out his spare helmet.

Winter should've thought it over but the helmet was on her head before her mouth could protest. He flipped the visor up so she could she and stuffed her lunch into his backpack before placing it on her back.

"I don't want you to squish it, but I need you to hold on."

They walked out of the garage together and headed to school. It wasn't a long drive but it was pleasant, exactly what she needed to wake up. She held close to Qrow and watched the budding tree fly past, bending and leaning as they sped through the back roads. The air was cool and crisp and the scent of flowers and fuel filled her nose.

They parked in Qrow's spot and dismounted. Qrow took the backpack back and removed his helmet, sweeping his messy hair back out of his eyes. Winter removed her helmet and Qrow laughed. Her perfect bun was nothing against the pull of helmet hair. Winter looked in the rear mirrors of the cycle and frowned. She looked at Qrow and pulled her hair down completely, shaking out some of the worst bumps but doing nothing else.

"That's my girl!" Qrow cheered and flicked a stand of her hair into her face. She laughed and they walked into the school teasing each other. They passed a group of administrators waiting by the door to monitor students entering with hardly a care in the world.

"Morning Oz, morning Jimmy." "Good morning principal Ironwood and Superintendent." The pair greeted them in unison and continued up the steps to their classroom. Ironwood frowned.

"Well it looks like Winter is really opening up. Isn't that great principal Ironwood?" Ozpin grinned and dipped his coffee.

"Are you sure he was the right choice?" Ironwood watched as Qrow rugged at Winter's hair as they climbed the steps and she gave him a playful shove.

"Absolutely. She needed more experience with children. Especially considering what she is going through." Ozpin grinned as the pair climbed out of sight. Ironwood shook his head, knowing Oz was right.

Qrow took over the class once again and was enthusiastic to teach about the science of making fire change color. Winter watched and took notes. The class was very engaged, because of his excitement no doubt. The examples probably helped too. She stood ready by the fire extinguisher just in case. They went strong through the day until sixth period chemistry when Qrow managed to catch his tie on fire. Winter managed to put him out before anything else could catch fire. The period ended and he stripped down to his t-shirt. He threw the messed up shirt and tie into a plastic bag and put it in his backpack.

He also pulled out their lunches and sat at his desk. Winter joined him. Tai had packed an apple, a container of leftover fried rice, a bag of chip and a juice pouch. Winter smiled. What a thoughtful man to do this not only for his daughters, but for them as well. Qrow practically inhaled his juice and tore through his apple, leaving only part of the core. Winter teases him for his method and he just shrugged.

"Waste not, want not. I'm leaving the dangerous part. You gunna eat yours?" Winter grimaced and passed him her apple remains.

Winter pulled out her laptop and began to work on some homework. Qrow watched her as she focused on the screen. She was more fun when she let her hair down, maybe the bun hurt her head. He ate his rice slowly as he watched her. She spoke without taking her eyes from the screen.

"Am I that interesting, Mr. Branwen?" A smirk appeared on her face.

"I'm supposed to supervise you." Qrow finished his rice and reached for her juice pouch. She pulled it away before he could touch it.

"There is a difference between a supervisor watching his mentee and an owl watching is prey. I must admit, I am feeling a bit mousey at the moment." She submitted her work and looked at him. He shrugged. The bell rang and they tied up their things and Qrow pulled his spare dress shirt out of desk and buttoned it most of the way and Winter sat at the back of the class and took roll as students filed in.


	15. Chapter 15

The next day was much the same. Tai sent them off with lunches, Winter rode in with Qrow, Ironwood watched them disapprovingly. Winter didn't bother to put her hair up in the morning. She left it down and then braided it down her back. Qrow let her lead and she was excited because today was experiment day.

Winter donned her safety glasses and lab coat and greeted the students with the same exuberance that Qrow had used yesterday. Yang cheered and ran straight to her table. Winter passed out sheets with a list of elements to combine with the fire so that the students could record their outcome. Qrow passed out safety glasses and shot a hair tie at Yang. He did not want to deal with any burning hair and emergency hair cuts today.

Qrow watched as Winter walked around the room, gently correcting mistakes and guiding students in the right direction instead of belligerently chastising them. She had learned a lot over the past week. Though he wondered how much she had learned by watching him teach. He watched her walk over to correct Yang then turn quickly to answer a question at the next table. His eyes went wide. Yang had thrown something in the fire causing it to flare up and catch the end of Winter's braid. He pushed the grin off of his face and ran for the fire extinguisher.

Yang looked at her uncle in a panic and the class watched the scene unfold in horror. Winter felt the heat and turned her back to Qrow who raced over with the fire extinguisher. Winter was covered in white, as were some of the students on either side of her. Qrow wasn't used to putting out fires on other people. Everyone watched and waited to see Winter's reaction.

Winter turned to face Qrow and took a step forward. Her face was frozen, the shock slowly taking control of her body. Her eyes were wide and she looked at him, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards.

"Well it would seem that I have learned a little _too_ much from you Mr. Branwen. Thank you for putting me out." She grinned, then began chuckling.

"I'm always happy to put out for you, Ice Queen." Qrow smiled in relief. The whole class began to laugh and Winter threw her head back and laughed. She stopped suddenly and turned to face Yang. Yang froze.

"Are you okay?" She asked. She checked over each student that had been hit by the foam but they all insisted they were alright.

Qrow went to his backpack and pulled out his new spare dress shirt. He handed it to Winter and sent her off to the restroom to change. Qrow took the time to lecture the class on safety. They continued back on their experiments and they were all abuzz with chatter. There was not point trying to shut them up at this point so he just made sure that they still got their work done.

Winter pulled off her lab coat, her hands shaking hard. Her shirt was barely singed but thoroughly soaked. She considered leaving her bra on but it would just soak through the clean dress shirt. She would be wearing a lab coat anyway. She slipped the shirt on and buttoned it up her bare chest and looked in the mirror. She winced. A good chunk of her hair had been singed off and a large part was beyond repair. Her hair now hung just below her shoulders and she would have to get more than a few inches cut off.

She returned to class, wet clothes in hand and passed them to Qrow without a word. He put them into the bag and blushed slightly as he realized that he was holding her bra and tried to prevent his mind from exploring the implications. Winter returned wearing a new lab coat and handed him a hair tie and a pair of scissors. He looked at her dumbly.

"I refuse to smell like burning hair all day. Tie it where the salvageable hair starts and chop the rest off." Winter turned her back to him.

He looked out at the class who were now watching him. He turned back to Winter and shrugged. He didn't bother trying to brush it out, her ends were melted together. He tied her hair an inch above her shoulders and cut through. She turned around and he handed her the ponytail. She wordlessly stepped to the storage cupboard and withdrew a few chemicals. She gathered then and began walking to Yang's desk with a solemn face and a quiet voice.

"Children, safety is important. Fire is very dangerous and most of your bodies are flammable." She places the ingredients down and began measuring and pouring them into a beaker. "So if you must set something on fire," Winter grinned evilly and dunked the ponytail in the mixture. "Make sure to do it safely."

She grabbed the ponytail with tongs and lit the ponytail on fire. It was instantly engulfed. Yang screamed and pushed her chair away. Winter held it until the flames went out and the passed it around. It was no more singed than before. The kids cheered and clapped. Qrow clapped as well - a small, proud smile finding its way onto his face. Winter bowed with a flourish and came back up with a grin. The bell rang to end the period and the kids left, chattering about what had happened. Winter put her chemicals and hair off to the side to show the other classes later then she moved to sit at Qrow's desk.

"That was quite a show. Who are you and what did you do with the Ice Queen?" Qrow poked her shoulder.

"Well she did catch fire, perhaps she melted." Winter smiled slightly. "I'm still me though."

"It suits you." Qrow fingered the ends of her much shorter hair. Winter's smile widened and she blushed..

"I know it sounds funny but it's a real weight off my shoulders. I hated having long hair. I always had to tie it up when I was in the military academy and it hurt my head, but my father wanted me to keep my hair long so I wouldn't scare away any suitors." Winter played with her hair, brushing it out with her fingers. The bell rang again and Qrow took roll as students entered and the class began.

The final bell rang to dismiss students and Winter waved them all off. She was really enjoying actually teaching students. It thrilled her to apply her knowledge and share it with other excited minds. She pulled off her lab coat and hung it up before re-rolling the long sleeves up to the middle of her forearm. She stretched and shook out her short hair. She would rather have gone to a hairdresser but this was at least a pleasant memory. She couldn't wait to show Weiss once she felt better.

Qrow needed to get out of the habit of watching her. It was going to slowly drive him mad. Her lithe body stretched in front of his and the light from the window hugged her form under the shirt and her shadow tormented him. He was thankful that she would be riding behind him. Although that also meant that she would be pressed against him while wearing his shirt with nothing underneath. He was going to hell and Taiyang was going to send him there himself.

"Qrow, are you alright?" Winter waved a hand in front of his face.

"I'm fine, still not used to the hair." He turned and zipped up his backpack and slung it on Winter's shoulders.

Qrow did his best to focus on the road, he really did. In his defense, it was a little cooler than normal today and neither had a jacket. They made it home alright and Winter was the first to dismount, heading up to use the shower. Qrow laid his head on the handlebars and groaned loudly.

"I think I'm in love with this dumb bitch." Qrow put his hands on the back of his neck.

**A/N:**

**Edited to not suck so much. **


	16. Chapter 16

"I want to go home..." Winter frowned as she placed the paper she finished marking to the side.

"Me too Ice Queen, but we're almost there." Qrow underlined something on the white board and then looked up from his notes to smile at her.

"I meant my home. I want to go back to my apartment." Winter took another paper and started grading. Qrow continued copying his notes onto the board.

"Why? Getting sick of living with me?" Qrow chuckled, praying that wasn't it.

"I feel like I'm hiding from him. I don't want that. If I'm going to face him I want to do it and be done and live my life on my terms. Playing pretend with a loving family is nice but I can't make it real until I have things sorted out with my own." Winter gripped her pen tighter and sighed, forcing herself to get the frustration out before grading.

"So it's not that you're sick of living with me." Qrow winked at her. She rolled her eyes.

"I have very much enjoyed my stay with Tai and the girls. They are very welcoming, if not a little loud." Winter remained icy and professional.

"Well if you aren't sick of me and want to go home I could just come stay with you this weekend." Qrow offered.

"What's your game." Winter raised an eyebrow at him.

"No game. I would like to be there to support you and just because we could potentially go out and get trashed and paint the town red again is just a bonus." Qrow shrugged innocently. Winter looked at him coyly and put down her pen.

"You think I'm fun." Winter prodded him with her finger.

"I never said that." Qrow closed the marker and sat his notes on the desk.

"You think I'm fun and you want to spend more time with me." Winter's cool exterior began to melt and a wicked smile appeared. "You like me."

"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves. We have a healthy work relationship that translates well into drinking together." Qrow grinned at her.

"Very well." The ice facade returns. "I suppose this week has been stressful enough. I will let you continue your lessons in unwinding and in return I will provide you with a place to sleep." Winter placed the last paper on her stack to hand out. They shook hands and the bell rang to end their planning period.

The end of the day came mercifully quick. Qrow and Winter rode back to Tai's house right after work. Winter gathered her things and Qrow grabbed a change of clothes and an extra shirt. He shouted out to Tai not to wait up and they drove up to the city separately.

Winter was happy to be in her car again. She liked having control and the added security of four wheels and a roof. But something was missing. She was safe but there was a level of comfort missing, and she sighed as she realized exactly what it was. Winter pulled into the parking garage of her apartment and kept an eye out for Qrow or an obscenely expensive limo that could contain either her favorite or her least favorite person.

She knew a full sized sedan was considerably safer than a motorcycle, but she didn't feel afraid when she was riding with Qrow. She could never ride by herself. He made her feel safe enough that she could enjoy the whipping wind and scenery and trusted him enough to control the situation. He let her help, he treated her as an equal but he kept her safe. He was more than a mentor, he was a trusted friend and a comforting companion. She could be relaxed and free with him in ways that would make her father's hair curl.

She sighed and smiled and got out of the car. Qrow passed her and parked at the small end spot that was too small for most cars. She gathered up her things and met him at his spot. He turned off the ignition and turned to face her.

"So how did you enjoy your tin can on four wheels after a week of riding this?" He gestured to the cycle beneath him before dismounting.

"It was pleasant, though it felt odd not wearing a helmet." Winter shrugged.

Winter walked to the door and Qrow followed. They climbed the steps and walked down the hall until they got to Winter's apartment door. She opened the door and gestured for Qrow to enter. She removed her shoes and placed them neatly on her shoe mat and he, surprisingly, did too. Qrow flopped onto the sofa and dropped his backpack on the floor beside him. Winter headed back to her room and gathered any left over laundry that she had missed the weekend prior.

"I'm going to the basement, I will be back shortly." Winter held her full hamper over her shoulder.

Qrow was already snoring heavily, so the warning was largely unnecessary. Winter grinned and rode the elevator down to the basement laundromat. This was the longest that she had really been alone in a while and it felt off. She missed having someone on her side. She was used to being either looked down on by her father or worshipped by her peers. Qrow made her feel like an equal. She was used to feeling invisible except when she made mistakes. Qrow watched her and, though she teased him, it made her feel better knowing someone was watching out for her. He praised her when she did well and she wanted to do well because of it. He could both calm her down or heat her up in an instant and he made her feel at home. She was beginning to be the person that she should have been all along, and it was because of him. He made her want to have fun, he made her want to excel and follow her own dreams, live life by her rules. She thought for a moment and sighed.

"I think I'm falling in love with this idiot."

**A/N:**

**Haven't used this app in forever and it is so much better now. Now I can update you all even when I have to work late!**


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